Water pump device for electric appliances

ABSTRACT

A water pump device for electric appliances includes a water container, a piston cylinder, and an AC synchronous motor. The piston cylinder includes a piston. The AC synchronous motor drives the piston to reciprocate. The water container supplies water through reciprocation of the piston driven by the AC synchronous motor. The water in the water container enters the piston cylinder for pressurization. The pressurized water enters a heating member of a steam generator to output high temperature and high pressure steam. The water pump device further includes a steam adjustment knob between the clockwise check valve and the piston cylinder. The steam adjustment knob can be turned to drive a cam which is used to change the movement route of the piston, so that the volume of the pressurized water can be adjusted for desired high temperature and high pressure steam.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(a) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a water pump device for electric appliances, and more particularly to one having an AC synchronous motor adapted for domestic or industrial electric appliances, such as a portable steam cleaner, a steam mop, a steam mop cooperated with a vacuum cleaner, or the like.

(b) Description of the Prior Art

Domestic or industrial electric appliances, such as a portable steam cleaner, a steam mop, a steam mop cooperated with a vacuum cleaner or the like, adopts the following three ways to pour water into a heating member of a steam generator.

The first way is that the inputted alternating current is rectified through a transformer and the voltage is lowered and stabilized by other electronic components on the circuit board, so that the required voltage and current are inputted to a DC motor for driving a pair of deceleration gears to drive a piston cylinder. Thus, the water in the water container is pumped into the heating member of the steam generator to generate steam. The drawback of this pump device is that the alternating current of the power supply must be transformed into direct current. A lot of electronic components are required to lower and stabilize the voltage and to rectify the current. This increases the cost and difficulty for assembly, and is not compact. Besides, the conventional DC motor is driven at a high speed, it must mate with many and complicated gear sets to decelerate and to generate an appropriate torsion to drive the piston for reciprocation. In this way, it must use complicated and expensive electronic components and circuit to change the voltage of the DC motor so as to change the rotation speed of the DC motor for adjustment of the temperature and volume of the outputted steam.

The second way is that the inputted alternating current direct drives a micro-type AC electromagnetic pump. Through the motion of the electromagnetic pump, the water in the water container is pumped into the heating member of the steam generator to generate steam. The electromagnetic pump is expensive and large in size. The limescale is easy to block the inlet and outlet of the electromagnetic pump, which may result in malfunction of the steam electronic appliance. In this way, it must use complicated and expensive electronic components and circuit to change the voltage of the electromagnetic pump so as to change the reciprocation speed of the pillar piston in the electromagnetic pump for adjustment of the temperature and volume of the outputted steam.

The third way is that the inputted alternating current directly heats the heating member of the steam generator. This device is like a pot to boil water, which generates slowly. This way cannot output high temperature and high pressure steam. There is no pump in the system, so it cannot adjust the temperature and volume of the outputted steam.

Accordingly, the inventor of the present invention has devoted himself based on his many years of practical experiences to solve these problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a water pump device for electric appliances. The water pump device comprises a water container, a piston cylinder, and an AC synchronous motor. The water container is used to store water. An inlet pipe is connected between the water container and an inlet end of the piston cylinder. The piston cylinder comprises a piston therein. The piston is driven by the AC synchronous motor. The piston cylinder has an outlet end which is connected with an outlet pipe. Another end of the outlet pipe is connected to a heating member of a steam generator. The AC synchronous motor drives the piston to reciprocate.

Thereby, the water pump device drives the AC synchronous motor by alternating current. The water container supplies water by means of reciprocation of the piston which is driven by the AC synchronous motor. The water in the water container passes the inlet pipe and enters the piston cylinder for pressurization. The pressurized water passes the outlet pipe and enters the heating member of the steam generator to output high temperature and high pressure steam. The present invention is different from the prior at. There is no need for electronic components which convert alternating current into direct current, nor deceleration gear boxes. No limescale is remained to cause an obstruction. The AC synchronous motor can be got easily on the market, which is a safe and stable motor. The AC synchronous motor has an appropriate rotation speed for generating enough torsion to direct drive the piston to reciprocate. The AC synchronous motor can be turned clockwise or counterclockwise, so the rotation direction can be changed as desired. When the steam has counter pressure, the AC synchronous motor will change its rotation direction immediately and the link rod of the piston cylinder will be turned in a reverse direction to keep running. This prevents the motor from being jammed because the instantaneous torsion is not enough and avoids any accidents because the current is greatly increased to cause high temperature.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a water pump device for electric appliances. The water pump device further comprises a steam adjustment knob disposed between the clockwise check valve and the piston cylinder. The steam adjustment knob can be turned to drive a cam. The cam is used to change the movement route of the piston, so that the volume of the pressurized water can be adjusted and controlled for desired high temperature and high pressure steam. The temperature and volume of the outputted steam of the present invention can be adjusted.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an assembled view according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an assembled view according to a second embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, the water pump device for electric appliances according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a water container 1, a piston cylinder 2, and an AC synchronous motor 3.

The water container 1 is used to store water. An inlet pipe 41 is connected between the water container 1 and an inlet end of the piston cylinder 2. A clockwise check valve 5 is provided between the inlet pipe 41 and the inlet end of the piston cylinder 2.

The piston cylinder 2 comprises a piston 21 therein. The piston 21 is driven by the AC synchronous motor 3. The piston cylinder 2 has an outlet end which is connected with an outlet pipe 42. A counterclockwise check valve 6 is provided between the outlet pipe 42 and the outlet end of the piston cylinder 2. Another end of the outlet pipe 42 is connected to a heating member 7 of a steam generator.

The AC synchronous motor 3 comprises an eccentric wheel 31 and a link rod 32 (or a transmission mechanism driven by the axle of the motor). The link rod 32 is connected with the piston 21 of the piston cylinder 2. The eccentric wheel 31 and the link rod 32 drive the piston 21 to reciprocate. The AC synchronous motor 3 comprises a deceleration gear device therein.

The water pump device of the present invention drives the AC synchronous motor by alternating current. The water container 1 supplies water by means of reciprocation of the piston 21 which is driven by the AC synchronous motor 3. The water in the water container 1 passes the inlet pipe 41 and enters the piston cylinder 2 for pressurization. The pressurized water passes the outlet pipe 42 and enters the heating member 7 of the steam generator to output high temperature and high pressure steam for cleaning and sterilization.

The heating member 7 is disposed in the steam generator. The pressurized water can be heated instantly by the heating member 7 to become high temperature and high pressure steam. The steam is outputted from a steam outlet 71 at another end of the heating member 7.

The inlet pipe 41 and the output pipe 42 are silicon tubes. The inlet pipe 41 is used to connect the water container 1 and the inlet end (the clockwise check valve 5) of the piston cylinder 2. The outlet pipe 42 is used to connect the outlet end (the counterclockwise valve 6) of the piston cylinder 2 and heating member 7. The inlet pipe 41 and the output pipe 42 can be made by other materials, not limited to the silicon material.

The clockwise valve 5 is used to prevent the water in the piston cylinder 2 from flowing back to the water container 1. The counterclockwise valve 6 is used to prevent the water in the heating member 7 from flowing back to the piston cylinder 2.

The present invention comprising the AC synchronous motor and the piston cylinder driven by alternating current is different from the conventional DC motor. There is no need for electronic components which convert alternating current into direct current, nor deceleration gear boxes. No limescale is remained to cause an obstruction. The AC synchronous motor can be turned clockwise or counterclockwise, so the rotation direction can be changed as desired. When the steam has counter pressure, the AC synchronous motor can change its rotation direction immediately to prevent the motor from being jammed because the instantaneous torsion is not enough and to avoid any accidents because the current is greatly increased to cause high temperature. The present invention saves cost, enhances the efficiency of the electric appliance, increases its stability, and has a long service span.

The present invention can be designed to adjust the temperature and volume of the outputted steam. As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the present invention further comprises a steam adjustment knob 8 disposed between the clockwise check valve 5 and the piston cylinder 2. The steam adjustment knob 8 can be turned to drive a cam 81. The cam 81 is used to change the movement route of the piston 21, namely, the turning of the cam 81 confines or release the movement route of the piston 21, so that the volume of the pressurized water can be adjusted and controlled for desired high temperature and high pressure steam. The temperature and volume of the outputted steam of the present invention can be adjusted.

When the movement route of the piston 21 is changed, the eccentric wheel 31 at the other end of the link rod 32 is driven to change the transmission angle of the AC synchronous motor 3 so as to change the volume of the water entering the piston cylinder 2 from the water container 1 through the inlet pipe 41 and the volume of the water entering the heating member 7 of the steam generator through the outlet pipe 42 for desired high temperature and high pressure steam.

The counter pressure or obstruction generated by adjusting the movement route of the piston 21 can be balanced through change of the clockwise/counterclockwise rotation direction of the AC synchronous motor 3.

Although particular embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the present invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A water pump device for electric appliances, comprising a water container, a piston cylinder and an AC (alternating current) synchronous motor; the water container being used to store water, an inlet pipe connected between the water container and an inlet end of the piston cylinder; the piston cylinder comprising a piston therein, the piston being driven by the AC synchronous motor, the piston cylinder having an outlet end which is connected with an outlet pipe, another end of the outlet pipe being connected to a heating member of a steam generator; the AC synchronous motor driving the piston to reciprocate; thereby, the water pump device driving the AC synchronous motor by alternating current, the water container supplying water by means of reciprocation of the piston which is driven by the AC synchronous motor, the water in the water container passing the inlet pipe and entering the piston cylinder for pressurization, the pressurized water passing the outlet pipe and entering the heating member of the steam generator to output high temperature and high pressure steam.
 2. The water pump device for electric appliances as claimed in claim 1, wherein a clockwise check valve is provided between the inlet pipe and the inlet end of the piston cylinder.
 3. The water pump device for electric appliances as claimed in claim 1, wherein a counterclockwise check valve is provided between the outlet pipe and the outlet end of the piston cylinder.
 4. The water pump device for electric appliances as claimed in claim 1, wherein the AC synchronous motor comprises an eccentric wheel and a link rod, and the link rod is connected with the piston of the piston cylinder.
 5. The water pump device for electric appliances as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heating member is disposed in the steam generator and has a steam outlet at an end thereof.
 6. The water pump device for electric appliances as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inlet pipe is a silicon tube.
 7. The water pump device for electric appliances as claimed in claim 1, wherein the output pipe is a silicon tube.
 8. The water pump device for electric appliances as claimed in claim 1, wherein a clockwise check valve is provided between the inlet pipe and the inlet end of the piston cylinder, a steam adjustment knob is provided between the clockwise check valve and the piston cylinder, the steam adjustment knob is adapted to drive a cam, and the cam is driven to confine or release the movement route of the piston so as to adjust the volume of the pressurized water. 